


we're two slow dancers, dancing like we're made of starlight

by snowysatoru



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Character Death, Slow Burn, They/Them Pronouns for My Unit | Byleth, Various FE3H characters appear but aren't important enough to warrant a character tag, mentions of human experimentation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26116054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowysatoru/pseuds/snowysatoru
Summary: Lysithea was always someone who kept to herself; ever since she was a small child. And because she knew that her time in this world was very limited, she was determined to keep it that way. She didn't have time for friends, as there were other matters that were far more important to her.So when a fellow mage, who wants nothing more than to become her friend, transfers into the Golden Deer class, Lysithea couldn't even begin to imagine the impact Annette would have on her life.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Lysithea von Ordelia
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8
Collections: 2020 Ultra Rarepair Big Bang





	we're two slow dancers, dancing like we're made of starlight

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> This fic was written for the Ultra Rarepair Big Bang, as part of a collaboration with @lv2nt on Twitter! She's drawn some beautiful art to go along with this fic, and it's been a lot of fun working with her!
> 
> This is the first part of the fic, and we'll do our best to have the stuff out for part two as soon as we can! 
> 
> I love Lysithea and Annette so, so much, so it was a lot of fun to write something that explored how they met and how their relationship grows, as well as a slow(ish) burn rivals-to-friends-to-lovers story because I think this pairing fits perfectly for that. God I love Lysinette :')))
> 
> I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I had fun writing it!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Every time she’s been told that she’s had a gift for magic, Lysithea’s reply would be a quick and simple ‘thank you’, and leave it at that. Every time she thought about making friends — most notably with some of the other noble children of other noble houses within the Alliance — she would shake the feeling away, under the excuse that she’d like to spend time in the library reading books and studying.

As the heiress to House Ordelia, it was her duty to make sure that she worked to the best of her abilities so she could lift the burden off of her parents’ shoulders. As much as she wanted to indulge in her inner child and do something children would do— like making friends— or just wanting to be a kid, in general, Lysithea didn’t have the luxury to partake in such things.

Because her time in this world was limited. Yes, that could be said for practically everything in life; but in Lysithea's case, she was running against the clock. A clock where both of the hands were turning much too quickly.

And it was thanks to the “gift” that was given to her: The "gift" of possessing two crests, to be more specific. The major crest of Gloucester and the minor crest of Charon. The crest of Charon was bestowed upon her through natural means; given to her at birth, from her mother’s side of the family. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

It was remembering when and how she received the crest of Gloucester that made all of the horrid memories come crawling back.

It all started with a revolt; a rebellion that House Ordelia played a key role in. An insurrection, for lack of a better term. What followed after was something that Lysithea wished to keep buried within the deep fragments of her memory; something that she wished was nothing more than just a dream. 

But the scars littered all over her body, and her snow-white hair was a sharp reminder that despite her wishes, the pain that she went through — the experiments, the dark magic, the pungent stench of blood, and so much _screaming_ — was all too real. This was the reality Lysithea had to live with, whether she liked it or not. 

But even if she had to learn to grow up quickly; even though she knew that her life was on a time limit, Lysithea was determined to live her life to the fullest to the best of her abilities, and not even her shortened lifespan could stand in her way.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_Great Tree Moon, 1180, House Ordelia_ **

“Lysithea,” her mother calls out. “Have you almost finished packing? Your father and I would like to speak with you for a moment in his office.”

“I’ll be right there, Mother!” Lysithea answers, placing the last bit of clothing she needs in her suitcase, before heading to her father’s office to see what her parents wanted, although she had a hunch on what they wanted to speak to her about.

It was the night before her departure for Garreg Mach Monastery, where she would study as a student of the Officer’s Academy, presumably as a member of the Golden Deer house, as is pretty much a given for anyone that lives in the Leicester Alliance. Though she was nervous to be traveling somewhere new; especially somewhere that was far away from home, Lysithea was still excited, nonetheless. Anywhere that she could sharpen her studies and magic was good as far as she was concerned.

It still made her parents the tiniest bit overbearing, though. Because even after assuring them many times that she would be just fine all on her own, it did little for the worried expressions she’d see all over their faces. Lysithea knew they meant well — because what parent wouldn’t be worried about sending off their child to their home away from home? — it still felt like Lysithea was being treated like a small child, even though she was fifteen years old now, and it was frustrating to deal with, regardless if it was intentional or not.

But Lyisthea still wanted to listen to what her parents had to say to her, as this was going to be the last time she would see them in person for a while. So she finished up the last bit of packing she had to do before making her way to her father’s study.

When she arrives, Lysithea opens the door to see her father sitting on one of the couches in the study, her mother sitting right next to him. Wasting no time, she takes a step inside.

“Hello, Lysithea,” her father greets her. “I presume that you’ve finished packing? I hope you didn’t run into too much trouble.”

“Everything is ready for tomorrow morning, Father,” Lysithea replies. “It wasn’t any trouble at all, but your concern is appreciated.”

“Very good,” he commends her. “Now, would you mind having a seat? I’m sure your mother has told you that we’d like to talk to you about something,” he gestures to the couch that was parallel to where he was sitting.

Lysithea walks over to the empty couch, sitting down and keeping her gaze on her parents, showing them that they have her full attention.

“What is it that you want to talk about, Father? Mother?” she asks.

“Well, where do we even start…” Count Ordelia ponders. “You know how proud your mother and I are of you for being wonderful and hardworking, right?”

“Of course I do,” Lysithea responds firmly. “And I am thankful for the opportunity you two have given me to be able to study at the Officer’s Academy. As heir to House Ordelia, I promise that I will not disappoint you both.”

“That’s excellent, sweetie!” Countess Ordelia exclaims. “Garreg Mach will be so blessed to have someone as bright and studious as you.”

“You flatter me too much, Mother, but thank you for your kind words.”

“I am simply telling you the truth, Lysithea. But I digress. I should probably get back to the important matter at hand. Honey, if you don't mind?” 

“Of course,” Count Ordelia clears his throat. “Now, Lysithea. I know that your studies are very important to you, and that’s definitely good for a school as prestigious as the Officer’s Academy, but that doesn’t mean you should be spending most of your time doing that. Maybe you can try making some new friends while you’re away.”

Lysithea had seen it coming; she knew that the talk in regards to making friends would pop up, yet she is still taken by surprise when she hears her father speak those words. She was prepared for this conversation but here she is now, speechless at the mention of something that seemed to be out of her comfort zone.

“Father, I appreciate your concern, but—” Lysithea tries to counter before being cut off.

“ _Lysithea,"_ Count Ordelia states, his voice more firm in tone, clearing his throat before continuing what he was going to speak about. “Listen to me closely, Lysithea. I know you’ve been working hard towards your future; one where your mother and I can rest easy for when you take over as Countess of House Ordelia. But that doesn’t mean you should be working yourself to the bone.”

“But I’m doing just fine, Father,” Lysithea argues. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I’m not a child anymore, you know.”

“And your Father and I believe you very much, honey,” Countess Ordelia replies. “But we can’t help but worry that you’ll push yourself too hard at school. We’re not saying abandon your studies completely; we’re merely suggesting you take things easy whenever you can. And we think you making new friends could be a way to do that. Maybe there’s even a sweet treat at the academy that you can indulge in, too.”

“... I see.”

A couple of minutes pass by in absolute silence, unsure of what to say next. At least until Count Ordelia decides to speak up.

“I hope we weren’t too harsh on you, dear,” Count Ordelia apologizes. “We just want you to do what makes you happy and make the best out of your time at the academy.”

“I’m fine, Father,” Lysithea lies, but doesn’t want to give her parents any more reasons to be worried. “I promise. I know you’re both trying to look out for me, but I’ll be fine on my own, I swear.”

Her parents exchange glances with one another, then turn their eyes back to their daughter.

“Alright then,” Countess Ordelia confirms. “We’ll take your word for it, then. But promise you’ll write to us whenever you’re able to, okay?”

“I will,” Lyisthea promises her mother.

“That’s good. Now then, I suppose your father and I have kept you here for quite some time, so I guess we should let you retire for the evening.”

“Yes, that would be most helpful.” Lysithea answers. “The trip to Garreg Mach is going to be rather long, and I’d like to be well-rested.”

Lysithea gets up from where she’s sitting on the couch and walks towards the door.

“Good night, Mother. Father.” Lysithea calls out. “I’ll see you both tomorrow morning. When we say our goodbyes.

“Good night, Lysithea,” They replied simultaneously. “Sleep well, dear.” Countess Ordelia adds before Lysithea closes the door behind them, returning to her room.

While she’s getting ready for bed, the conversation she and her parents just had rings on in her head, refusing to leave her headspace. But she shakes it off for now, at least. It’s something that she can dwell on during the trip to Garreg Mach. Nothing worth losing much-needed hours of sleep.

Tomorrow would be the start of the next chapter of her life: Life as a student of the Officer’s Academy at Garreg Mach Monastery; as an incoming member of the Golden Deer house. She couldn’t wait to see where this will take her. Whatever it was, Lysithea could handle it, no problem.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_Horsebow Moon, 1180, Golden Deer Classroom_ **

Of the many things that had happened throughout the school year as of late, the last thing Lysithea expected right now was an announcement of someone switching houses.

Yet here she was, sitting at her desk as Professor Byleth was announcing that there would be a new student transferring into the Golden Deer from the Blue Lions. Before Lystihea could blink, a girl with light orange hair made her way to the front of the classroom. When she turned around to introduce herself, the smile on her lips was as soft and warm; and there was a shining presence that she had that could even put the Goddess Seiros to shame.

“I’m Annette!” the girl spoke aloud, her voice bubbly and chipper. “It’s so nice you all! I’m really looking forward to being a part of the Golden Deer!”

Although she wasn’t the first student from the Blue Lions to switch over — as Ashe had transferred just two months prior — this was the first time that Lysithea felt some sort of emotion in regards to someone transferring.

Did she feel excited that there was another magic user in her class? Or was she jealous at no longer being the only mage in the Golden Deer house? Was it both? Lysithea didn’t know.

Maybe she was thinking too hard about all of this. Even if the timing wasn’t particularly the best right now — as Flayn had just gone missing and the entire academy was investigating to find out where she was — Annette seemed like a genuinely nice person to be around. Plus, she’s heard that Annette is an excellent mage; as she’s attended the Royal School of Sorcery; and even achieving very high grades, at that.

 _‘Maybe she could be a nice rival for me.’_ Lystihea thinks, watching Annette finish introducing herself and sitting back down at her chair, then proceeding to prepare for the day’s lecture. _‘Yeah, that doesn’t seem bad at all…’_

That’s what Lysithea was _expecting,_ at least. What she didn’t expect was for Annette to be eager and to suddenly approach her as class was dismissed, her whole being beaming.

“Lysithea! Hi!” Annette exclaims, making her way to Lysithea’s desk she was getting up to leave.

Lysithea is startled for a second but manages to regain her composure. “H-Hello, Annette. Is there anything you need help with?” she asks.

“Wellll, I was wondering if you could teach me about magic!”

“Me? Teach you magic?”

“Yup!”

“... Why me, specifically?”

“I just wanna see if there’s something I can learn from you! From one magic use to another! Whaddya say?”

“Hmmm…” Lysithea ponders for a moment; unsure of how to answer Annette’s request. Her brows furrow trying to come up with a satisfactory answer. She can’t say ‘yes’, as Lystihea knows that Annette is a more than capable mage who can learn on her own just fine; on the other hand, though…

 _‘No!’_ Lysithea mentally shakes her head. ‘ _You can’t immediately offer to help her out. She’s your rival, Lysithea, not your friend! Make up some sort of dumb excuse and get outta there now! But what if I accidentally upset her? It’s not like she did anything wrong… UGH, THAT’S NOT THE POINT—!’_

“Lysithea?” Annette asks, confusedly, snapping Lysithea out of her train of thought. “You look really upset…”

“Huh?” Lystihea blurts out; just as confused as Annette is.

Annette tilts her head sideways amidst the confusion. “You looked super stern for a second there, Lysithea. Did I say something to upset you?” She frowns a little.

“N-No, not at all, Annette,” Lysithea stutters her answer, her cheeks growing warm at the embarrassment of being caught as her head was stuck in the clouds. “It’s just that…”

“Hm?”

“I’m terribly sorry, Annette,” Lysithea apologizes, trying to create any kind of excuse, regardless of how haphazard it sounded. “As much as I’d like to help you, I’m actually rather busy at the moment. I can help you some other time, but I really have to go now. Bye!”

And next thing she knew, Lysithea was out of there in a matter of seconds, leaving a very confused and dumbstruck Annette behind.

When she’s positive that she’s got a reasonable amount of distance between her and the classroom, Lysithea rests against the wall as she catches her breath from the running she just did. It probably wasn’t the best idea to overexert herself like that just now— or even making an exit that hasty, but she had to get out of there as soon as possible before she could dig an even bigger hole than she already had done.

Even if she does feel slightly guilty for leaving Annette without any proper explanation, Lysithea decides to shrug it off, for now. She’ll have plenty of opportunities to listen to Annette’s request, as they’re both classmates in the same house.

But for now, Lysithea had other matters to attend to. And an apology to come up with when she and Annette meet again.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

The days come and go; and with the exception of the ongoing investigation to find Flayn at a standstill, everything appears to be normal, to the point where they begin to blend into one another.

Classes and lectures went on as normal; the professor (and Claude) sharing whatever new bits and pieces of information they’ve found in regards to where Flayn was taken, as well as who might’ve taken her, planning out the possible rescue mission that may happen, the list could go on.

During those few days, Annette had not approached Lysithea once, both of them choosing to interact with other members of their class as the days dragged on and on. And even though she didn’t mind not having Annette’s company, Lysithea could feel that she was starting to get a little lonely; like she almost missed the companionship. Almost.

Fortunately (or unfortunately; she isn’t sure which one it is) for her, Lysithea didn't have to wait much longer, as she was confronted by Annette one Friday afternoon. Classes were finished for the day and Lysithea decided to make her way towards the library, thinking it’d be the best place to read and study in peace (assuming she doesn’t run into something, such as a napping Linhardt).

“Hi hi, Lysithea!” Annette greets happily, just as Lysithea was gathering up her class materials and making her exit.

And just like their first encounter, Annette had appeared before her once more, as bouncy and lively as ever. Although she was startled at first, Lysithea quickly regains her composure, mentally reminding herself to not chicken out this time. This time, she’ll listen to what the other girl has to say; even if Annette didn’t seem to be upset with her after she had left in such a rush last time.

“Hello, Annette,” Lysithea greets in response, her lips curving into a small smile. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yeah!” Annette chirps. “I was wondering if you could teach me what you know about magic? You seemed to be in quite a rush when I asked you last time, and you looked to be rather busy the last few days, but I was wondering if now was a good time?”

“Why are you asking me, specifically, Annette?” Lysithea raises an eyebrow. “Surely there’s someone else you can speak to about this.”

“Well, maybe, but I feel much more comfortable asking you about it since you’re _really_ good at magic!”

“I see,” Lysithea answers blankly. “But weren’t you an honors student at the Fhirdiad School of Sorcery?”

“Well, yeah, but I wouldn’t say that I have any natural talent for it the way you do. If I wanna become as good of a mage as you, I’m gonna have to try _extra_ hard to get to that point!”

Lystihea’s small smile turns into a frown in just a matter of seconds at the mention of her skills in magic simply being natural talent and that thing only.

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” Lysithea retorts, causing Annette to be taken aback by the harsh tone of her voice. “Are you implying I don’t work just as hard as you do? Because if so, you are sorely mistaken if you think my skills are from inheritance alone.”

“I-I wasn’t trying to say that at all!” Annette panics, waving her hands in self-defense.

“Then what exactly do you mean, Annette? I’m a little lost here…”

“I-I just meant that if I wanna be as good of a mage as you are, then I’m gonna have to work really, _really_ hard, is all!”

“Hmm… I see,” Lysithea ponders, crossing her arms in thought. “Well. What is it that you want to learn about?”

And just like that, Annette’s facial expression went from one of panic to that of pure joy and excitement; like a kid receiving their favorite sweet treat from their parents as a reward for doing something good.

“Oh! So you’ll actually help me out? Thank you so much, Lysithea!”

“You’re welcome. Now come over here and take a seat next to me, because this will probably take a while…”

Doing as Lysithea has instructed, Annette sits next to Lysithea, more than ready for their small tutoring session. As she’s teaching Annette and helping her better understand certain topics that she’s having difficulty grasping, Lysithea couldn’t help but steal a glance, the expression on Annette’s face not unfamiliar to one that’s graced her own features before; eyebrows scrunched together in thought, her eyes focused on whatever material Lysithea was helping her with, and the look of absolute delight when she finally fully understands something.

Lysithea had a few words to describe Annette in her studious state, but she doesn’t let her train of thought derail anymore than that. She was merely helping out a classmate and rival with something that was having trouble with; nothing more, and nothing less.

“Oh, I get it now!” Annette exclaims after Lysithea finished going over a certain magic spell. “I never thought about it _that_ way before!”

“That’s great, Annette,” Lysithea compliments her. “See? You’re very skilled already, especially with how quickly you’re picking all of this up.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re just that good of a teacher, Lysithea! Your way of looking at the world is so fundamentally different from mine.”

Lysithea can feel the frown making its way to her lips, but she’s able to stop herself from getting mad over something so small. But still, she doesn’t appreciate the self-deprecation that Annette is giving herself.

“I see.” is all Lysithea has to say as a response; the one she wanted to give not worth wasting energy on. “Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today, Annette. I have to get going now. There's a lot I have to do before dinner.”

“Oh, okay!” Annette replies, gathering up her study materials. “Thank you so much again for taking the time to teach me! I really did learn a lot from you, Lysithea! We should do this again sometime! When we’re not busy trying to find Flayn, of course.”

“I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind, Annette,” Lysithea answers. “And you’re welcome,” she adds, before collecting her own study materials and leaving the classroom, _finally_ making her way towards the library.

Her was curiosity piqued, and she was very determined to get to the bottom of it.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

When Lysithea reaches her destination, the first thing she does is take a look at her surroundings, noticing that the library was mostly empty— save for Linhardt and the numerous books surrounding him. Maybe she spotted Tomas for a second too, but she wasn’t too sure. Placing her studying materials on an empty table where she’s sure she won’t be interrupted — especially if she had to hear about Linhardt’s crest research _one more time_ — and makes her way to the bookshelves, seeing if she could find a book that took her interest.

After looking for about twenty minutes and having little to no success in finding the book she wants, Lysithea lets out a quiet huff in frustration and is about to give up on her search. That is until a particular book catches her attention; upon closer inspection, Lysithea sees that it’s, **_“The Register of Kingdom Nobles”,_ **a blue book adorned with golden accents all across the cover and spine, and the book title is written in very fancy cursive.

As it appears to be in almost pristine condition, Lysithea assumes that this must be a newer edition of the book. Upon opening the book, her assumptions are correct; as she sees _1179 Edition_ within the first few pages.

Although she isn’t from the Kingdom and the information in this book isn’t of too much importance to a resident of the Alliance, Lysithea is unable to put the book down, as she finds herself invested in whatever content was hiding within the pages. Despite containing basic information (such as how the Kingdom came to be; small paragraphs with bits and pieces of information about each noble house, as well as other minor details that weren’t too important), Lysithea couldn’t turn away.

But what really caught her eye was a certain section that she doesn’t remember seeing in older versions of this book. Curious, she flips through to find out whatever this may be, and what she sees is that this section is labeled “ _House Dominic”._

 _‘Dominic…’_ Lysithea thinks. _‘Isn’t that Annette’s last name? I didn’t even know that she was from a noble house…”_

Now, even more curious, she reads further:

**_House Dominic_ **

_This house of barons claims Dominic of the 10 Elites as its ancestor. Its territory lies within the western region of Faerghus. Even though it possesses the magic hammer, Crusher, one of the Heroes Relics, this house only holds minor power in comparison to other noble houses within the Kingdom, such as House Fraldarius and House Gautier. It was once said that anyone who possesses the Crest of Dominic is to have a strong affinity with magic; wind magic in particular. But this claim is not for certain._

“A strong affinity with magic to whoever possesses the Crest of Dominic…” Lysithea whispers.

Did this also mean that Annette had power thrust upon her as she had? Or was it just someone making a crest out to be very important just for the sake of having some amount of power? Lysithea had heard that such claims and assumptions about crests were common throughout the Kingdom, but she didn’t know for sure if Annette had been affected by such ideals. It was something that required more research, but the idea of sharing such stuff with Annette didn’t sit right with Lysithea; she didn’t seem like the type of person who’d put too much thought into anything relating to crests.

 _‘Perhaps I’m thinking too much about this…’_ Lysithea ponders, closing the book and placing it back on the shelf, deciding that this was not worth the inevitable headache that would come as a result of thinking too hard about something that seemed so simple. 

_‘I’ll come back to this another time.’_ she concludes, before collecting her stuff and deciding to resume studying in her dorm room, where the quietness would hopefully help her think more clearly.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_Wyvern Moon, 1180, Golden Deer Classroom_ **

One month leaves to make way for a new one. The beginning of autumn was starting to reveal itself through the leaves changing color and colder weather; and most importantly, the Battle of the Eagle and Lion was only just a few weeks away.

As far as the state of the Officer’s Academy was in as everyone was getting prepared for the big, important mock battle, there wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary. While Flayn had gone missing the previous month, she was eventually found and returned unharmed, much to the immense relief of Seteth (and Rhea and everyone else too, of course, but mostly Seteth). And after some consideration— and a lot of convincing — Flayn joins as the newest member of the Golden Deer class. For the most part, everything appeared to be back to normal.

The first week of classes went on as per usual; the only addition being Professor Byleth making sure to remind everyone to continue their training to the best of their abilities so that they’re prepared for the mock battle at the end of the month. It was nothing that Lysithea wasn’t already used to.

At least until the professor asked her to stay for a moment after class was dismissed on one Wednesday afternoon. And not just her, either, as they also asked Annette to stay behind too.

And it seemed like Annette was just as curious as Lysithea was when Professor Byleth ushers them to come to the front of the classroom.

“Professor?” Annette asks as she and Lysithea approached Byleth’s teaching podium as everyone else was leaving. “Is there a reason why you called us? We’re not in any trouble, are we?”

“Not at all, Annette,” Byleth answered, before clearing their throat. “But there _is_ something that I'd like to discuss with the both of you,” they add.

“Then what is it?” Lysithea and Annette ask simultaneously, startling their professor from the combined volume of their voices.

“Since I don't feel the need to drag this out longer than needed, I will keep it short and sweet: I would like the two of you to work together in preparation for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion,” Byleth states blankly, getting straight to the point without drawing their conclusion out. 

Lystihea’s eyes go wide at the professor’s suggestion, but hides her shock the best she can so she doesn’t make her situation any more complicated.

But the professor seems to have taken notice when she least expected it; because they glance over in Lysithea’s direction; a worried expression on their face (or as worried as someone who was known for not having the most dynamic facial expressions could be, anyway).

“Are you alright, Lystihea?” Byleth queried. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost…”

“I-I’m alright,” Lystihea reassures them, silently cursing her voice slightly cracking. “But may I ask you a question, Professor?”

“Of course.”

“Why are you pairing just the two of us up? You said that we weren’t in any trouble; so why are you doing this when there’s so little time left before the big mock battle at the end of the month?”

“I’m actually really curious too, Professor,” Annette joins in. “Why are you making us partner up?”

“I was getting to that,” Byleth responds. “While I am very sure that the two of you are more than capable of being able to hold your own on the battlefield, I’ve noticed and taken note of both your strengths and weaknesses. And I believe that working together, you will be able to build on each other’s strengths and help fill in what the other may be lacking. While I admit that the timing is rather… awkward, to say the very least, I have faith in your abilities to help each other grow.” Byleth takes a deep breath once they finish their explanation.

“Does that help clear things up for you both?” They ask.

“Hmmm… I think so,” Annette replies, still processing what Byleth had just told her and Lysithea. “Sounds exciting!”

“I’m glad you think so. And what about you, Lysithea? Do you understand where I’m coming from?” Byleth asks as they look in Lysithea’s direction once more.

Lysithea still had many questions to ask the professor; so many things that she still didn’t understand, even after Byleth had gone through the length to explain every detail of why they made these choices. But even with there being so much that she wants to say and ask, Lysithea also knows that she would get absolutely nowhere should she start doubting the professor and their choices. It’s not like she was accusing Professor Byleth not knowing what they were doing, it was just that Lysithea felt confused with what was just thrust upon her.

As she thinks more about it, though, Lystihea doesn’t really see the harm in having Annette as a training/study partner. Maybe it could be beneficial to building their small rivalry.

 _‘Maybe this could be beneficial to me…’_ Lystihea thinks. _‘Maybe the professor is onto something, after all…’_

“I do,” she speaks aloud, giving the professor her answer. “I understand more clearly now.”

 _‘Even if I’m still not so sure about this myself,’_ Lysithea wants to add, but opts out of it at the last second.

“Very good,” Byleth states. “Now while you’re both free to start working together as soon at your convenience, I would like you to start by the beginning of next week, at the very latest. Is that doable?”

Lysithea and Annette nod in agreement.

“Very well, then. You are both dismissed for today.” Byleth finished.

The two girls say their goodbyes to the professor and turn to leave the classroom. As soon the door closes behind them, Annette turns to face Lysithea, extending her hand out to her, as if she was expecting Lysithea to take it.

“I look forward to working together with you, Lysithea!” Annette speaks, a cheerful tone in her voice accompanied with a smile just as bright.

Though reluctant, Lysithea can’t say no to a friendly handshake, regardless. So she reaches out and takes Annette’s hand in her own, who in response gives it a firm yet gentle squeeze. It takes a good chunk of Lysithea’s willpower to not dwell too much on how her heart jumps the tiniest bit when she thinks about how warm and soft Annette’s hand felt against her own.

It was going to be a long couple of weeks, Lysithea could already tell.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Time passes by in a blur, and Annette isn’t sure what to make of whatever was going on between her and Lysithea. She was excited to work with Lysithea as a training partner; and had been crystal clear about she was more than eager to be paired up with a fellow magic user, even.

But fast forward two weeks, after when she and Lysithea have had some time to work together? Now she isn’t so sure. Annette would’ve thought that this would be a prime opportunity to grow closer to Lysithea; to build their bond and see the seeds of a new friendship begin to take root. But what she actually got was something not unlike a plant taking its time popping out of really difficult soil.

And it wasn’t because Annette was messing up her magic casting, or done anything to the point of Lysithea having to step in and clean up the mess that she made. The reality was, in terms of training together, Annette and Lystihea had been getting along just fine. 

They had gotten together every other day after class had been dismissed and trained together at the training grounds, and besides a few hiccups on Annette’s end, the consequences were very minor, at most, such as firing a magic spell slightly off-target; nothing that a brief lecture from Lysithea couldn’t fix.

It was when Annette approached Lysithea _outside_ of their training sessions that things took a turn for the awkward. Mostly because whenever she came up to Lysithea and asked her something —like if they could hang out or have dinner together— Lysithea would politely decline and make up some excuse that she was very busy and had other things to do.

At first, Annette just let her be after rejecting her invitation. Even if it hurt a little, Annette understood that Lysithea was a very busy person and probably didn’t have much free time to spend with friends. So the two of them barely interacted outside of class and training. This went on for at least a week and a half; Annette and Lysithea speaking to each other when it was necessary. Even though Annette wanted to ease this tension between them, she didn’t want to scare Lysithea off, so she remains silent on the subject and doesn’t bring it up during the small amount of time that they _are_ together.

But as this “silence” drags on for longer and longer, the tension that comes along with it starts to take its toll on Annette, as she becomes antsier as time goes on. Eventually, she can’t take it anymore and decides that she will figure out some way to hold a conversation with Lystihea, one way or another. 

Now if only she could find the perfect opportunity to initiate any bonding time with Lysithea…

Fortunately for Annette, she didn’t have to search too far; and not for too long, either.

One Sunday evening; around dinner time, a few hours after the fishing tourney had finished, many students had gathered in the dining hall to enjoy an assortment of fish-related dishes due to the sudden surplus of fish, the chance that Annette was waiting for had presented itself to her:

She could see Lysithea sitting down at one of the tables eating her own meal, mostly surrounded by some of their fellow Golden Deer classmates. Yet the chair across from her was empty. Deciding to not waste any time, Annette makes her way to said chair, taking a seat right across from Lysithea.

“Hi, Lysithea!” Annette greets her. “Fancy seeing you here!”

Lysithea lets out a startled noise as she’s in mid-chew, nearly choking on whatever fish she had in her mouth. She’s able to recollect herself enough, though, and manages to swallow her food without any trouble.

“H-Hello, Annette,” Lysithea manages a response, still in slight shock. “I didn’t expect you to seek me out when the dining hall is this packed…”

“Welllll… I saw you from where I got my meal, and I thought you could use the company, so here I am!”

“… I see.” Lysithea responds blankly, before resuming back to eating her meal.

Looking at the food on Lysithea’s plate, Annette could see that their meals were practically identical: the Two-Fish Sauté, as well as a plentiful amount of sweet buns; even more than Annette had gotten for herself. The two of them eat their food as the world continues to go on around them; friends and classmates engaging in their own conversations while munching on many types of fish, some more enthusiastic about the abundance of fish than others, ranging from pure delight (Flayn) to absolute disgust (Dorothea).

Now that Annette had gone through the trouble of finding Lysithea without her running off to do some task, her mind was now drawing a complete blank when trying to figure out what exactly she wanted to talk to Lysithea about. All Annette could think of to do at the moment was stare down at her plate of food while she took bites of it, glancing up at Lysithea once in a while to see if she wanted to talk about something, but having no such luck in doing so.

Finishing her fish sauté, Annette moves on to the sweet buns she had gotten for dessert, reaching for one and taking a bite, making sure to not get any powdered sugar on her clothes. Getting through the first sweet bun and starting to reach for her second, Annette steals another glance in Lysithea’s direction and finds her chomping away at one of many sweet buns she had accumulated, bits of powdered sugar on her lips and cheeks. But from the looks of it, Lysithea didn’t seem to care too much.

It wasn’t until Lystihea had paused from her sweet indulgence to wipe her face with a napkin did Annette realize that she had been looking at her for just a bit too long, Lysithea’s cheeks turning bright, rosy pink as both girls continued to look at each other.

Annette breaks the silence first, as she clears her throat and attempts to start any kind of conversation.

“You must have a really big sweet tooth, don’t you, Lysithea?” Annette asks.

“Is there a problem with that?” Lysithea counters with her own question, the tone of her voice hints that she’s probably slightly annoyed, but not angry or upset with Annette’s question.

“No, not at all!” Annette assures the other girl. “It’s just that I’ve never met anyone with a sweet tooth _that_ big before! You must think the sweet buns here are amazing _._ ”

“Only because whoever was in charge of dessert duty tonight must be very good at making sweet treats.”

“So Mercie had a hand in making these? No wonder they taste so good!” Annette comments, surprise trickled in her voice.

“...Mercie?” Lysithea questions, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“That’s the nickname I call Mercedes,” Annette explains. “She’s a really close friend of mine; like an older sister to me, especially when I was still in the Blue Lions. Mercie makes the _best_ sweets ever! You should really try some of her other homemade sweet treats sometime! I’m sure she’d be more than happy to make some for you!

“That sounds very promising,” Lysithea remarks, chuckling. “Maybe I’ll keep that in mind when the Battle of The Eagle and Lion is over.”

As they continue eating their sweet buns, both Lysithea and Annette find themselves in an engaging conversation over sweets. From talking about whatever sweets they had growing up to sharing their favorite desserts they’ve had at the academy— Lystihea even going into detail about her Encyclopedia of Sweets — the two of them couldn’t stop talking until dinner was over and they parted ways to retire to their dorms.

 _‘Maybe this will be the beginning of a wonderful friendship.’_ Lystihea and Annette both thought as they fell asleep that night, hoping that they’re both correct in this realization.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

The days continue to fly by much quicker than expected, and suddenly it was the night before the departure to Gronder Field to partake in the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. Everyone had been very on edge, as they were all busy finishing the final preparations and doing any last-minute training before the big battle.

And here Lysithea was; laying on her bed as she stared up at the ceiling of her dorm room as she waited for the land of slumber to whisk her away, yet to no avail. It’s not because she wasn’t tired—so if she wanted to go to sleep quickly she could— but rather, it was the fear of what would follow Lysithea into her dreams if she does start to doze off. The dreams of her past that like to rear their ugly heads at the worst possible moments; and while they haven’t occurred too often since she arrived at Garreg Mach, she’s encountered them enough for her paranoia to kick in. And unfortunately, tonight was one of those nights.

Kicking the sheets off of her body and getting out of her bed, Lysithea slides on her slippers and walks outside. Maybe a nice, quick walk around the first-floor dormitory and some fresh air would help, even if just a little.

What she didn’t expect to see was someone else was wandering around the dormitory, too. Lysithea keeps a reasonable distance; unsure if it really was one of the other students walking around at night, or if it was just a ghost and her mind was playing tricks on her. She really, _really_ hopes that it was the former; seeing a ghost the night before a very important moment in her school life was the last thing Lysithea needed to see. So she follows the unknown figure a little bit more, keeping her distance as curiosity was beginning to get the better of her and hiding so that she doesn’t blow her cover.

Unfortunately, life had other plans for Lysithea, because just when she was beginning to catch a glimpse of the person she was following, her body thought that it was the perfect time to sneeze. And from how the _‘ACHOO!’_ rang in her ears, Lysithea can only conclude that her sneeze was rather loud, much to her dismay. And what’s even more unfortunate was that it was loud enough to alert the stranger, as they turned in the direction towards where Lysithea was hiding.

_'Please don't be a ghost, please don't be a ghost, PLEASE DON’T BE A GHOST—'_

“Lystihea?” a familiar voice asks. “Is that you?”

“I’M NOT READY TO LEAVE THIS CRUEL WORLD, YOU STUPID, CREEPY GHOST—” Lysithea starts to yells, jumping out of her hiding spot behind a bush, but stopping when she sees a bewildered Annette staring right back at her.

“...Oh. H-Hello, Annette.” Lysithea sheepishly waves to her. “I wasn’t expecting to run into you like this…”

“Me either, Lysithea,” Annette comments. “What are you doing out here so late?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Lysithea answers, “So I came out to get some fresh air. I assume that’s the same reason you’re out here, too?”

“Mhm,” Annette nods. “I don’t know why, but I just can’t fall asleep. I guess I’m having pre-battle jitters…” she laughs nervously.

“…Would you like to walk with me and talk about it?” Lysithea offers.

“Huh?” Annette questions, tilting her head in confusion.

“Would you like to walk and talk with me?” Lysithea repeats herself. “While I’m not sure that I can help with whatever you’re dealing with at this moment, I can at least lend an ear and listen. Is that alright with you, Annette?”

Annette thinks for a moment, but ultimately wastes no time rushing over to stand by Lystihea’s side, more than happy to have the quiet company. They walk around the first floor dormitories for a little bit; and then make their way towards the area surrounding the fishing pond, choosing to sit down on the edge of the pier. The two of them stay silent for a few minutes; Annette softly kicking her feet against the pond while Lystihea watches the water ripple and looks at their reflections in the water, hugging her legs close to her and resting her chin on her knees.

“So,” Lysithea talks, her eyes still focused on the pond. “What’s got you wide awake so late at night?”

“Well… It’s a little complicated…” Annette confesses. “And kinda a long story, too.”

“I’m all ears,” Lysithea tells her.

“Alrighty. So, where do I even begin?” Annette begins, taking a deep breath. “To be honest, I’m worried about what’ll happen tomorrow when the Battle of the Eagle and Lion begins.”

“What do you mean by that, Annette?”

“What I mean is that I’m very nervous about taking part as someone who switched classes. I know that I wasn’t the first student of the Blue Lions to transfer into another house, but it still feels like I’ve betrayed them, in a sense.”

Annette remembers the weeks leading up to her class transfer almost too well. The seeds of disarray started to plant themselves after the Western Church rebellion had been suppressed; the quarreling between Dimitri and Felix began to escalate no matter how much Ingrid and Mercedes did their best to calm them down (even though it was mostly just Felix causing trouble), Ashe deciding to transfer to the Golden Deer house after the Rite of Rebirth, and the hint of sadness and disappointment on Professor Hanneman’s face when Annette expressed her own feelings on switching to another class.

While it wasn’t the fault of any of her fellow Blue Lions classmates or even Hanneman, Annette felt like that she needed a change if it would help further her studies—and to ease her own mind and heart, too. While it hurt a little to say goodbye, Annette doesn’t regret transferring to the Golden Deer, even if her brain likes to play a mind game or two on her.

“Do you ever regret transferring to another class, Annette?” Lysithea asks; almost like she was reading Annette's mind.

“Of course not,” Annette answers. “It's just that… a part of me _wants_ to feel guilty about not being a Blue Lion anymore, and I don’t know why. And the Battle of the Eagle and Lion coming up isn’t helping at all. You don’t think I’m overthinking this too much, am I, Lysithea?”

“Not at all,” Lysithea remarks. “I think you have good reason to be worried about tomorrow, and while I understand that it can cause some amount of guilt, I don’t think you should be so hard on yourself for a decision you made.”

“Lysithea…”

“You joined the Golden Deer on your own volition, right? Because you wanted something so much and something was holding you back?”

“Mhmm,” Annette hums, nodding.

“So you should see that choice through without looking back; with no hesitation and no regrets. At least that’s what I would’ve done if I was in your current situation.” Lysithea explains.

“Really?” Annette asks, turning her gaze so that she was looking at Lysithea. “What class would you have joined?”

“Probably whatever class Professor Byleth was teaching. But that’s a whole conversation for another time. What I’m trying to get at is that I think you should have more faith in yourself, Annette. I know you have your heart in the right place, but I think some self-confidence would go a _very_ long way for you.”

“… I guess you’re right, Lysithea. I’ve never thought about it that way before…”

“Good. I’m glad our little talk has helped us both and wasn’t an absolute waste.” Lysithea confirms, letting out a big yawn. “I guess all that talking left me a little tired.”

“We should probably go back to our dorms and get some sleep. We’ve got a huge day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“A very good point,” Lysithea nods, moving to stand up and wipes off any dirt and dust from her nightgown. “I think we’ve stayed out here long enough, and I do believe I hear my bed calling for me.”

The two make their way back towards the dorms, stopping where they would have to part ways.

“Good night, Lysithea! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I feel a lot better now, thanks to you.”

“You’re welcome, Annette. I’m glad I could help.”

And with that, they retired to their dorm rooms for the night, falling asleep with little issue afterward.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_Wyvern Moon, 1180, Gronder Field_ **

_“That is the end of this year’s Battle of the Eagle and Lion! And the winners are… **The Golden Deer!** ” _

Seteth’s voice echoes across the field as the mock battle finally comes to a close. After a long and hard-fought match, the Golden Deer house managed to come out as the victors. It didn’t even process at first, but then the battlefield echoes with the loud yells and cheers of many members of the Golden Deer army overjoyed that all their hard work and training has paid off.

It didn’t even fully process for Lystihea until she heard someone yelling out her name, and Lysithea only had a couple of seconds to react until she saw Annette running towards her at full speed, arms around her in a tight hug.

“Lysithea, we won!” Annette cheers, still holding onto Lysithea in a tight grip. “We did it! We did it!”

Lysithea didn’t know how to respond, so she returned the gesture, moving her arms so that she was hugging Annette back, a small smile on her face. With happiness as contagious as this, Lysithea couldn’t help but grin a little bit.

 _‘Wow... holding Annette feels… nice.’_ Lysithea tells herself.

It was like hugging pure sunshine; the warm and cozy kind, and not the scorching heat that one would normally associate the sun with. And Lysithea didn’t mind it one bit.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_Wyvern Moon, 1180, Outside the Dining Hall_ **

Carrying a plentiful plate of sweets, Lysithea manages to sneak out of the dining hall and away from the feast festivities. While it was fun to chat and spend time and celebrate with some good food, Lysithea required some alone time, away from the watchful eyes of her friends and classmates so she could indulge in some sweet treats in peace.

But it seems that she wasn’t the only one who had this idea, as Lysithea spots Annette not too far away, looking up at the starry sky. Lysithea scoots closer to where Annette was, bringing along her plate of sweets and setting it on the flat surface of the stone wall that was facing the fishing pond, sliding it in the space between them to acknowledge her presence.

“Hello, Annette,” Lysithea greets.

“Oh hi, Lysithea,” Annette greets back. “Did you come out here for some fresh air, too?”

“You could say that, I suppose,” Lysithea remarks, taking one of the treats from the plate and eating it. “Want one?”

“Sure!” Annette accepts, not wanting to say no to such a generous offer; taking another treat and taking a bite out of it.

They munch on sweets in silence for a minute; looking up at the evening sky and the few twinkling stars that are visible. There are no words spoken between them—the only sounds present are those echoing back in the dining hall— or at least until Lysithea breaks the silence after finishing her third pastry.

“So how was the Battle of the Eagle and Lion for you today?” she questions, looking in Annette’s direction.

“Well, it went a lot better than I ever thought it would,” Annette answers. “I was still a little nervous at the start of the battle, but it was all okay in the end!”

 _‘That’s good to hear,’_ Lysithea thinks. _‘I thought you’d crack under the pressure a little, but I’m glad you didn’t.’_ she wants to tell her, but chooses to remain silent.

“How do you think you did in the Battle of Eagle and Lion, Lysithea?” Annette asks.

“I performed as well as I could to the best of my abilities, so you could say I did exceptionally,” Lysithea replies simply, reaching for another pastry and taking a bite from it, licking the powdered sugar that dusted her lips.

A few minutes pass by as the two of them enjoy the small desserts that Lysithea brought with her; once again, the background noise echoing from the dining hall serving as the only sound accompanying them.

“So, Annette,” Lysithea speaks up, breaking the short-lived silence. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Lysithea! What do you wanna talk about?”

“It’s… it’s about your class transfer over from the Blue Lions and into the Golden Deer class.”

“Hm? What do you mean by that, Lysithea?”

 _‘How are you adjusting to the transfer?’_ Lysithea wants to ask her. ‘ _I know it was probably overwhelming as all hell, considering who our house leader is, but I hope you’ve been adapting to the change okay. I know we had kind of a rocky start at the beginning, but I really am glad that you’re here. Not just as a classmate and fellow mage, but as a friend, too.’_ She wants to share, but doesn’t, because goddess forbid that she was making friends that had different origins than her and doing something that didn’t involve studying or training.

“I’m just curious about how you feel about your new class, is all,” Lysithea says as her actual response. “Surely it must feel significantly different in comparison to the Blue Lions.”

“Oh, okay!” Annette exclaims. “Hmm… let’s see… where do I even begin? Well, to tell you the truth, Lysithea, there’s such a huge contrast between being a part of the Golden Deer as opposed to being in the Blue Lions. I’m not sure how to properly explain this, but there’s something about the Golden Deer that feels… less tense and more welcoming than my old class.”

Lysithea raises an eyebrow at Annette’s explanation.

“More ‘welcoming’?” Lysithea questions. “Explain what you mean by that, because I’m not sure I understand…”

“As I said, it’s a little… difficult to explain as to how and why I feel this way, but I just do. Ever since I changed classes, it feels like a big weight was lifted off of my shoulders. And that isn’t to say that I hated my time in the Blue Lions; because I didn’t! But it just felt so… _disjointed_ , in a sense; we didn’t feel like a coherent group of classmates. We got along during class just fine, and Hanneman was an alright teacher; but when we got together outside of class, like for our monthly missions or just hanging out with each other period… who knows what’s going on. Felix keeps picking fights with Dimitri for no real reason; Sylvain is just being Sylvain, and no matter how much Ingrid and Mercedes did their best to handle damage control, nothing seemed to change all that much.”

“Annette…”

“And it slowly began to grow just a bit more hostile after Ashe decided to switch over to the Golden Deer just a few months before I did. Not too long after your class traveled with the Knights of Seiros to take care of Lonato’s army and the rebellion against the church.”

“I see. If my memory serves me correctly, did Ashe know Lord Lonato?”

“Lonato was his adopted father. After hearing about what happened, as well as what happened in the Holy Mausoleum when the Western Church broke in and attempted to steal the remains of Seiros, I guess things just didn’t sit well with him and he transferred out of the Blue Lions within the next week. I guess you could say I switched over for the same reasons he did, if you think about it a little more deeply.”

“Because you wanted to feel like you’d have somewhere where you felt like you belonged?”

“Pretty much. And that’s what the Golden Deer feels like to me, in a sense. Sure, Professor Byleth is still trying to get used to being a teacher; and Claude looks like he’s got his own fair share of secrets he’s hiding, but so is Dimitri, and maybe Edelgard, too, even. But that’s beside the point. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t regret the choice I made when I swapped houses; I made up my mind and I have no intention of looking back!” Annette concludes her rant, inhaling and exhaling so she can catch her breath.

“Is that a good enough answer to your question, Lysithea?” Annette asks, turning her gaze so she was looking at Lysithea.

Lysithea simply looks back, her mouth slightly agape in both awe and shock, still trying to take in what Annette had told her. It was a lot to take in, to say the absolute least.

“You okay, Lysithea?” Annette asks, a little concerned.

“Oh! Um… y-yeah, I’m fine.” Lysithea lets out a weak chuckle, turning her gaze away from Annette.

“Oh. I see,” is Annette’s quick and simple response, moving her gaze up so that she was looking up at the stars in the sky. “But thank you for letting me ramble for a bit.”

“It was the least I could do, Annette,” Lysithea concurred, looking up so that she was gazing up at the night sky as well.

More silence passes by between them, as they look up and try to find any visible star that they could; maybe a glance or two is stolen, but neither girl could be sure.

At least not until Annette decides to steal a glance once more, and spots something very peculiar from her peripheral.

A scar. But it wasn’t just a singular scar, either; From what Annette could see, there appeared to be quite a number of scars scattered all over Lysithea’s wrists; some of them faded, while others were still very prominent against her skin (though it didn’t help that Lysithea was already pretty pale as it is).

Annette wanted to ask Lysithea about those scars; how and where she got them, and if Annette could help alleviate any pain that she was suffering through, whether if the pain was physical, emotional, or a combination of both.

She moved her mouth to speak, but decided against it at the last second. Annette realized that the scars Lysithea bears were probably a very personal and touchy subject for her, so Annette doesn’t push her luck just for the sake of her curiosity. Not when she and Lysithea were slowly, but surely becoming friends.

So Annette chooses to turn her gaze back to the sky, recounting the stars to distract her mind of whatever she had just seen, though it was difficult to do so due to the image still being fresh in her mind. Even when Lysithea had asked her what was wrong, Annette assured her that she was just fine, though the worried expression Lysithea gave her made it clear that she wasn’t convinced in the slightest, but says nothing more on the subject.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_Red Wolf Moon, 1180, First Floor Dormitory, Lysithea’s Room_ **

_It hurts… It hurts! It hurts so much!_

_Mother…! Father…! H-Help! Please! P-Please… save… me…!_

Lysithea wakes up in a cold sweat, a startled gasp leaving her lips as her eyes open, greeted with the sight of the ceiling and not the looming faces of something (or rather, someone _)_ else entirely. Slowly sitting up on her bed, Lysithea tries to regain the bearings of her surroundings. She wanted to make sure that she was still in her dorm room; she wanted to make sure the dark laboratory and the mages with those ominous masks looking down on her were nothing more than just a dream. Though that does little to reduce the trembling that Lysithea could feel throughout her whole body.

 _‘Just another nightmare…’_ Lysithea tells herself. _‘That’s all… nothing more.’_

Moving so that she’s sitting on the side of her bed, Lysithea tries to even out her breathing— _inhaling, exhaling, inhaling, exhaling_ — running a hand through her hair to wipe off any sweat on her forehead. Sliding on her slippers and waiting until she’s sure that she wasn’t shaking anymore, Lysithea gets up and leaves her room. Hopefully, a walk around the dormitory and some fresh air will help calm her nerves.

And Lysithea does just that. Walks around the first dormitory, slowly pacing herself so she doesn’t tire herself out too easily.

What she didn’t expect to see was Annette making her way back to her own dorm room, her hand on the doorknob. It was the night before the Battle of the Eagle and Lion all over again; only this time she was the one running into Annette, rather than the other way around.

“Annette?” Lysithea blurts out.

“Lysithea? What are you doing out here this late at night?” Annette asks back.

 _‘I had a really bad nightmare…’_ Lysithea thinks. _‘One that felt so real that I’m still not sure how to cope with what I had just seen.’_

“I couldn’t sleep…” is Lysithea’s actual response.

“Oh… Do you want to talk about it? We can talk in my room if that’s okay with you.”

“Are you sure, Annette?”

“Of course, Lysithea,” Annette responds happily, urging Lysithea to follow her back into her dorm room.

Once Annette closes the door behind her, she sits next to Lysithea on her bed, getting her comfortable so that she is ready to listen to whatever Lysithea has to share.

“So…” Lysithea begins, once they’re both situated. “About me being unable to sleep… to put it in as simple terms as I can, I keep thinking about what went down in Remire Village.”

“Remire Village? The place where—”

“Where Captain Jeralt and the professor first met Claude, as well as the other house leaders. Seeing the village up in flames, rampaging villagers trying to kill each other, and seeing those suspicious individuals, using all of those innocent people like they were test subjects… Let’s just say it’s left me very unsettled and on edge.”

 _‘Because it’s a feeling I know all too well…’_ Lysithea silently adds. _‘Being used as a test subject…’_

“Lysithea… that’s terrible…” Annette states. “No wonder you can’t get any sleep. That’s enough to shake up _anyone_.”

“Yeah…” Lysithea murmurs, hugging herself as she remembers bits and parts of her most recent nightmare.

Though what she was sharing with Annette wasn’t the truth _exactly_ , and feels bad for kind of lying to her (to an extent), Lysithea has her reasons for not sharing what’s _really_ making her lose hours of sleep. Maybe she’ll share the actual truth with Annette sometime soon, but that’s a problem for her future self.

For now, she lets Annette wrap her arms around her, holding Lysithea close and letting her rest her head on Annette’s shoulder. Normally, Lysithea would hesitate such a gesture; but at this point, she was too exhausted to even care and snuggled Annette’s shoulder, taking comfort in her warmth (even amidst the chilly, autumn evening weather).

When Annette asks if she wants to spend the night with her, Lysithea hesitates for only a brief moment, saying that she’d be able to return to her dorm just fine, but eventually reconsiders when she feels a rush of chilly air when she opens the door. They got bundled up in Annette’s bed, scooting so there was enough space between them but weren’t in any danger of falling off the bed and onto the hardwood floor.

To Lysithea’s surprise and small delight, she starts to feel her eyes slowly close, the land of slumber beginning to take her under its wing. She’s asleep within a matter of minutes, Annette following not too far behind.

It’s the most peaceful sleep she’s gotten in a while. And she is very thankful for that.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_Pegasus Moon, 1180, Golden Deer Classroom_ **

“Professor Byleth!” Lysithea calls out.

Byleth turns at the mention of their name, only to see Lysithea striding towards the front of the class to the podium.

“Why hello, Lysithea,” Byleth greets her. “Is there anything you need my help with?”

“Well, actually…” Lysithea replies. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something. If that’s okay with you, of course. I’ll make it quick if you need to be somewhere.”

“It’s alright, Lysithea,” Byleth reassures her. “So what do you want to talk about, specifically?”

“It’s about what happened back in the sealed forest when we chased after Kronya and Solon. About when you were swallowed up by that dark magic, and then came back.”

“What about that, specifically?”

“A lot of things. How you were able to cut through the darkness itself, and how your hair and eyes changed color, even!” Lysithea explains, pointing at Byleth’s head of hair, which was a shade of mint green instead of the dark, turquoise blue that it once was.

“Professor, what exactly happened to you?” she asks the professor, who is taken aback by her question.

“I’m…” Byleth begins to respond. “I’m afraid I’m just as surprised and confused as you are, Lysithea. It all happened so quickly that I’m still trying to process it all. The power I gained, my changed appearance, it still all feels so new to me.”

“I see,” Lysithea remarks. “But you didn’t lose something as a result of gaining these powers, did you?”

“I did not.” Byleth shakes their head.

“Well, that’s good to hear, at least.” Lysithea sighs in relief. “But still, be careful, okay?”

“I will, Lysithea,” Byleth replies. “You be careful, too.”

“I will, Professor. Thank you for your concern.”

 _‘_ _That’s a relief,’_ Lysithea sighs to herself. _‘At least you didn’t suffer the same consequences that I did; as a result of having power forced upon you...'_

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**_31st Day of the Lone Moon, 1180, Garreg Mach Monastery_ **

Before anyone could fully process what was happening, Edelgard had declared war against the Church of Seiros. It takes everyone by surprise, leaving everyone scrambling to prepare the defenses for the incoming attack from the Imperial Army.

Everything felt like it was falling apart at the seams; the foundation unsteady like a collapsing building, despite everyone’s best attempts to keep it afloat.

When the big battle was upon Garreg Mach Monastery, everyone did their best to defend the academy, the church, and most of all, protect Lady Rhea. And at first, the battle appeared to be in the favor of the Knights of Seiros.

But then Edelgard called in the reserve troops. And then the tides turned drastically. Thousands of soldiers could be seen making their way to the monastery.

Some time amongst the chaos, a dragon appeared. After even more time, Professor Byleth had suddenly vanished from the battlefield.

What happened after that? Even Lysithea doesn’t know.

**Author's Note:**

> (fic title taken from "two slow dancer's" mitski and "starlight" by taylor swift)
> 
> Thank you for reading! I'll try to get part 2 out as soon as I can, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!


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